Metro

Son of cop who died on 9/11 takes father’s number as he joins NYPD

Barry Driscoll with his father Stephen.

Barry Driscoll with his father Stephen. (family photo)

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The handsome son of a hero cop who died on 9/11 has followed in his selfless father’s footsteps and joined the NYPD’s ranks — taking his dad’s shield number.

Ann Driscoll, widow of Emergency Service Unit cop Stephen Driscoll and proud mom of Barry Driscoll, 25, says she has no reservations about her only child’s bold decision to carry on his dad’s work.

“I never worried about Stephen, I’m not going to worry about Barry. God has a plan, He will take care of you,” she told The Post.

After a ceremony for new officers in December, Barry was given badge number 17482 and assigned to the 44th Precinct in The Bronx.

At first, Barry seemed like an unlikely candidate.

He attended Boston University to study international relations — but his career plans quickly changed after his father died at the World Trade Center.

He has very big boots to fill.

Stephen was part of a search-and-rescue team assembled just minutes after the first jet hit the north tower.

He was no stranger to dangerous assignments. Attached to ESU Truck 4, Stephen, 38, was used to the high-stakes action.

“I always bump into someone who remembers Stephen and tells me a fond story of something Stephen did that makes me feel good,” his widow said.

The prospect of her son taking on similarly daunting tasks — especially with the terror threat against New York City still very real — shakes her.

Ann was particularly wary after Navy SEALS cornered and killed 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden on May 2.

“That was the one day I was afraid for Barry, I was afraid of retaliation,” she said.

“They caught the person who did this to me and my family and thousands of other families but it didn’t really change my life. It wasn’t going to bring Stephen back,” she said.

Now, seeing her son in uniform is another regular reminder of her late husband.

“He’s the spitting image of Stephen but with his mother’s smile,” she said, laughing.

Barry, who lives in Westchester with wife Erin and their baby, Nora, won’t have to report to duty on 9/11 — it’s a scheduled day off.

Instead, he will spend the solemn day remembering his father at a close family gathering.

He also hopes to honor his dad by fulfilling a dream to play the bagpipes in the NYPD’s Emerald Society Pipes and Drums — where Stephen was a member of the Honor Guard.

“We have our good days and bad days,” she said. “Sometimes it seems like it was only yesterday, other times it seems like it was a long time ago.”